PARTNER CONTENT: FEATURE
How MNOs Can Compete with Global Players Through Travel eSIM Offers
The pandemic brought travel to a standstill, wiping 75% off the value of the travel sector in 2020. Since then, post-pandemic travel patterns have been firmly re-established; with the UN estimating that around 1.4bn tourists travelled internationally in 2024, equivalent to 99% of pre-pandemic levels and a rise of 11% over 2023.
This rebound, however, has highlighted a disconnect between traveler expectations and the limitations of traditional roaming services. Rather than relying on roaming when travelling, many consumers are choosing to avoid it entirely, citing high costs, bill shock and a lack of transparency. Indeed, around 45% of respondents to a Telna survey cite excessive charges as the main reason for not using roaming services, with British consumers incurring around £539m in unexpected roaming charges in the 12 months to June 2023.
This mismatch between traveler expectations and the reality of roaming has opened up space for new digital connectivity solutions. One of the most popular is the travel eSIM, which is increasingly marketed by global travel providers and poses a direct challenge to mobile network operators (MNOs).
The silent roamer dilemma
According to one survey by Kaleido Intelligence, high costs have pushed over one-third of users (39%) to describe themselves as “silent” roamers, who avoid using mobile data abroad by relying on alternatives such as eSIMs/SIMs and Wi-Fi. That is having a pronounced impact on many MNOs, with lost revenue and growing customer dissatisfaction the result of the growing silent roamer problem.
Instead, many travellers are choosing to purchase a local, travel or eSIM to meet their needs, especially those in Hong Kong (73%) and China (63%). Travel eSIMs hold particular promise, with estimates from Kaleido Intelligence suggesting travel eSIM adoption will grow five-fold globally over the next four years, from 90m in 2025 to 330m by 2030.
Growing demand reflects the inherent benefits of eSIMs, which include convenience, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, transparent pricing, seamless connectivity and instant activation chief among them. In fact, travelers increasingly see eSIMs not as a backup, but as their default connectivity option.
This leaves eSIMs well-placed to recapture not only silent roamers, but even the 58% of active or occasional roamers. Wholesale roaming business units at MNOs recognise this potential, with 60% of MNOs surveyed by Telna now viewing eSIMs as a strategic opportunity to boost inbound roaming traffic and wholesale revenue.
The paths to deployment
Declining engagement with traditional roaming has created an urgent need for MNOs to act. Expanding eSIM capabilities and offerings is now a strategic priority for MNOs. To capitalise, they must determine the best delivery model for their eSIM offering.
Three main paths to deployment are available to operators, ranging from an in-house product, to partnerships with companies in the travel industry and enhanced hybrid roaming services.
Offering a direct eSIM data package to consumers enables MNOs to leverage their existing customer relationships and billing systems, enhancing trust and expanding mobile connectivity. The costs and benefits of these packages must be communicated clearly to avoid bill shock, and boost customer satisfaction and loyalty.
This is the preferred option for consumers, with 41% purchasing eSIMs directly from their operator when travelling. A growing number of MNOs are responding to this demand, integrating eSIMs into their platforms, with UK operator Vodafone the latest to launch a Travel eSIM service in June 2025, offering data-only plans for 206 destinations across 700 networks.
Alternatively, MNOs could seek the B2B2C and partnership route, by offering white label eSIMs as part of a corporate travel connectivity package, or through travel companies, airlines, hotels and booking platforms. This enables MNOs to expand their reach indirectly, by providing users seamless access to data connectivity for the duration of their trip. According to Kaleido Intelligence, 46% of operators surveyed are opting to partner directly with travel eSIM providers as roaming sponsors.
Lastly, MNOs can provide hybrid services that combine traditional roaming with eSIM flexibility. One example is the introduction of premium travel packages for high-value MNO customers, in which frequent travellers or business clients can take advantage of benefits such as higher data allowances, priority support and exclusive offers. A proactive stance towards customer communication and support, including 24/7 customer service, real-time usage alerts, and multilingual support, further enhances the customer experience and builds trust.
Multi-IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) technology, often deployed through IMSI aggregator platforms, is a key enabler of this hybrid model. Rather than reducing wholesale roaming costs directly, it allows MNOs to expand their global footprint, switch networks at a user’s destination and combine local rate connectivity with global service continuity. This capability enables MNOs to create tiered premium travel offers, which include features such as guaranteed bandwidth, prioritised roaming and local breakout, for frequent or high-value travellers.
Phased implementation
Gregory Gundelfinger, CEO of Telna, explains: “MNOs already have incredible assets, trusted brands, infrastructure and customer reach. What they need is a partner to help unlock that value through a fully managed eSIM solution that makes it easy to serve travelers globally.”
To capitalise on this potential, operators should evaluate their strengths, the depth of existing partnerships and the dynamics of their customer base. In-house regulatory expertise, a strong local market presence and brand recognition are additional strategic advantages that MNOs should seek to leverage. Unlike global eSIM aggregators, MNOs can localise offers, provide direct customer support and bundle services with domestic plans.
MNOs should carefully evaluate their capacity in these areas before following a phased implementation strategy. The first step is a thorough market assessment, including competitor analysis and understanding the travel patterns and needs of different target customer segments.
After this foundational stage, MNOs can then determine whether to develop their own eSIM platform or explore strategic partnerships. Generally speaking, a direct brand eSIM offering is best suited to large operators with strong digital capability and a customer base that engages in a significant amount of outbound travel. For smaller operators, or those seeking to test the water, a partnership model can offer greater reach, a shorter time to market and enhanced customer acquisition opportunities.
The third and final stage involves launching the eSIM offering, focusing on targeted customer segments. Post-implementation performance evaluation is critical, and should encompass real-time network monitoring, feedback gathering, and the tracking of customer acquisition rates, revenue per traveler, engagement metrics and silent roamer activation rates.
This phased framework enables MNOs not only to capture new revenue, but to redefine the traveler experience and directly meet their changing behaviours and expectations.
Time to act
The growing popularity of eSIMs is eroding the traditional consumer reliance on roaming or the purchase of local SIM cards at a user’s intended destination. According to Kaleido Intelligence, travel eSIM revenue will reach over $3.5 billion in 2025, a rise of 130% over 2023 adoption. Meanwhile, retail travel eSIM spend is projected to exceed US$3bn by the end of this year. As eSIM spending and revenues surge, the window for MNOs to act is closing fast. Those who invest now will be the ones who shape this next phase of global travel connectivity.